Fiery sermons didn’t drive Barack Obama away from his church, but they did unnerve one other prominent parishioner — media mogul Oprah Winfrey.
According to Newsweek, Winfrey stopped attending Chicago’s Trinity United Church of Christ in the 1990s in part because she wanted to distance herself from the incendiary views of the Rev. Jeremiah Wright.
“She’s always been aware that her audience is very mainstream, and doing anything to offend them just wouldn’t be smart,” one anymous source tells the magazine. “She’s been around black churches all her life, so Rev. Wright’s anger-filled message didn’t surprise her. But it just wasn’t what she was looking for in a church.”
Wright, of course, is the preacher whose racially charged denunciations of the U.S. government have caused such heartburn for Obama’s bid for the Democratic nomination since they were made public in March. Evidently Winfrey, an Obama supporter, wanted to avoid a conflict of her own.
But Oprah had other reasons for leaving as well, another anonymous source tells Newsweek.
“There is the Church of Oprah now,” the longtime friend says. “She has her own following.”
Photo: REUTERS/Danny Moloshok (Winfrey campaigns for Obama in Los Angeles, April 2)
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Obama! there is just way too many things fishy about this guy, a man who’s name is in Arabic, has a middle name ” Hussain” which is totally muslim BUT denies he is a Muslim!, a man who attended muslim fanatic religious school when he was young and has very close relationship with Black muslim extremist groups, friends with people who are terrorists or have harmed this country! Shall I go on…?? Wake up Americans..this isnt about race or religion..this is about electing the person who will hold the most powerful position in this world !! I would rather vote Hilary or even Mccain than to Vote for Obama and sleep with the enemies of this great nation!!
- Posted by AbeThis is a great opportunity to show the world that America is a land of opportunity even during election time.
- Posted by AddisaThe world is watching and they are evaluating our intelligence. VOTE SMART and restore the American dream in the minds of millions of people in the world. Our economy and image are equally shattered now.
I don’t know how any person who is a true American could even think of voting for someone who does not salute the American flag.Where do you think any of us got the freedom to sit here and type our beliefs if not from those Americans who fought and died for our country.And people are thinking of voting for someone who has supported a church that is so anti-american.Rev.Wright needs to remember if he was living in any other country he wouldn’t have the freedom to put America down. Yea, Obama I’m sure supports his belief. Has he ever came out and said what his changes will be? Why should we trust him? We don’t know anything about him. WAKE UP AMERICA!
- Posted by melanieTRUDY YOU ARE WRONG. IF YOU LOOK AT THE POLLS, THE WRIGHT CONTROVERSY IS EFFECTING OBAMA, ITS NOT JUST THE MEDIA.
- Posted by MICHAEL MORETTIOne respondent raised the technical problem of Obama’s place of birth in relation to his right to be president. I should like to point out that McCain also was not born in the USA. So each candidate, for different reasons, represents a challenge to a requirement that needs to be reconsidered anyway.
- Posted by Richard GustafsonI quit watching Oprah years ago because she is so full of herself. when she came out to support Obama it didn’t surprise me at all. Two egotists patting each other on the back. Great. All they need to do is add Condosleeza Rice to the group and you’d have the 3 stooges.
- Posted by Pam GiangrossoI always liked Oprah and admired her but was very turned off by her campaigning for Obama against Hillary. I’m glad to hear she left Wright’s church but she endorsed Obama knowing full well what Wright was all about and how close Obama was to Wright.
- Posted by SoularEnergyOprah is definitely not part of the Rev. Wright team. She has taken the high road by giving all of us the opportunity to discover who we are and to embrace peace and how to have unconditional love for everyone, including Hillary.
She has the right to endorse whomever she chooses because she is not a news anchor or editor. I distinctly remember her interviewing Bill Clinton who was endorsing Hillary at the time even though she supports Barack. I thought that was very gracious of her and can be placed in the ‘high road’ category.
Oprah is a beautiful person, and because of her deep involvement in the teachings of Eckhardt Tolle’s “The New Earth,” I can understand why she would be unnerved by the vitriolic ranting of her ex-Pastor. Her online class discusses how to attain true unconditional love for everyone. The Rev. Wright style of preaching will say that they believe in unconditional love and will quickly follow that statement will negativity.
We have to understand the cause and ‘cure’ for perpetuating negativity in our churches, in our media, and in our daily lives in order to progress to a higher road of well being. I understand your anguish because you want your person of choice to win the election. It’s wonderful that we can agree to disagree in America.
- Posted by marymarshallBZ, your comment is very manipulative and suspect. Hillary Clinton is staying in the campaign for personal reasons. In Paul v. Clinton, the judge issued an Order stating that Hillary Clinton does not have to be deposed until the election is over. If she were to drop-out tomorrow she’d have to attend a deposition and answer questions about her Senate campaign that allegedly defrauded Peter Paul out of millions of dollars in the biggest election fraud case in American history. Unfortunately, you Hillary Clinton supporters aren’t the most knowledgeable bunch America has to offer, so she uses you to prolong the inevitable deposition. Hillary Clinton’s political fate will be similar to that of Eight Belles. Watching her campaign is like beating a dead horse.
- Posted by Edward NelsonObama unelectable?
Only if you assume that the fall campaign will be about Rev. Wright, “elitism”, lapel pins and race. If it’s about Iraq, the Economy and 4 More Years, he’s a shoo-in.
- Posted by TruesdellOprah turns her back on the mainstream who make her rich by supporting somebody whom she knows believing in the teaching that she herself ran away from.
- Posted by vote4thebestI agree with the comment by BZ above. I would have thought Oprah would realize that Hillary best represents the issues for women, that Oprah herself champions.
But I know my father was raised in the South, and he often was concerned about racism when I was young. It was only later that I learned he lived through the 50’s and 60’s in the South, that I understood why racism was such an overriding issue in his mind. I have to wonder if Oprah is reacting to things from her past, since she also grew up in the South and no doubt experienced some of the same things. Still, that memory can sometimes be distorted and used by current leaders in ways that do not represent the original concerns of the civil rights leaders.
- Posted by Emily GI’m in agreement with the previous poster. One question I’m not finding an answer to was “Exactly how long did she attend Wrights church?” I have been a long time fan of Oprah, since she first began. I know that since this whole Obama mess came about… I had the utmost respect for Oprah but since… I don’t trust her at all… is there a racisit hidden behind that tv personna? A year ago, I would have said “No Way” but now… I’m not so sure. Oprahs star is more than tarnished for me. It’s rusted and crumbled. Trust is a big issue for me and once it’s lost, it’s gone forever.
- Posted by SueI agree with you BZ. I have lost a lot of respect for Oprah since her endorsement of Obama. She is so influential and I often think of how many lives would have been saved if she had endorsed Gore in 2000 and the Iraq war never happened. I am disappointed in her. Now she endorses Obama seemingly only because of race.
- Posted by CMOprah’s I’m Every Woman routine made her millions and then she turned on the first woman candidate for President. I hope women remember that next time they turn on the TV. GO HILLARY! She can’t stop you!
- Posted by JTomorrowpureliI have a number of observations. First, Oprah is her own person and can support who she wants politically. I think many people are now disappointed with Obama because they thought he was larger than life - he isn’t and neither is Oprah.
With respect to this election, Obama may not win either primary this Tuesday, but this is politics and anything can happen in the long term. A week is a month and a month is a year in politics. We never who is going to say what tomorrow or what we will learn about another candidate’s past affairs. It is dangerous to write anyone off just yet. Yes, my money would not be on the junior Senator from Illinois right now, but remember everyone was counting Senator Clinton out just two months ago.
- Posted by TCOprah’s not running for office. Neither is Wright. Barack and Hillary are. If people are going to base their vote on what someone else says, then shame on them.
- Posted by James DivelyAnd if Hillary is smart, which she is, she would refuse to go on Oprah!
- Posted by ChayaJSo, just because you do not like Oprah’s pick, you believe she should not have taken a political stand?? Why do you think she should not take a political stand? Isn’t she a citizen of this country like yourself? I find your logic quite ridiculous. The “too many Oprah fans” - all 1 of yourself - can simply stop watching her show and you’ll be fine (of course you can’t, can you) - notice how she has not come begging you to watch???.
- Posted by EOBecause Oprah is smart, she got away from Wright in the 90s. Obama says he didn’t hear any of those horrible things being said in church. Obama is either an opportunist trying to create a coalition through solidarity with people he has nothing in common with or he is not being truthful. Neither of the other candidates would have survived this anti-American rhetoric. Why are we going soft on Obama?
- Posted by LonghornMama